Julia Duczmal

Master’s student in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology at University of Warsaw, combining academic research with professional experience in brand consulting and qualitative research.

Reflection on the Mentorship Program

The mentorship program helped her better understand her strengths and recognize her potential as a young researcher entering the professional field. It was an important period of reflection and orientation, supporting her in clarifying future career paths and strengthening confidence in applying anthropological skills beyond academia.

More about Julia

As her master’s research, she is currently conducting a study in Silesia on discourses surrounding intangible cultural heritage, with particular attention to its political dimensions. Her bachelor’s thesis, based on a year of ethnographic fieldwork in Podhale, focused on the construction of masculinity and patriotism in the context of the war in Ukraine. Since 2024, she has been engaged in an oral history project in Kurpie, documenting the life stories of residents of small villages in the Łyse municipality, with outcomes including co-created interactive information boards developed in collaboration with local communities. Her research also extends to commissioned ethnographic fieldwork in Podlasie and the Silesian Beskids for open-air museums and the National Institute of Culture and Rural Heritage. These projects focus on shifting understandings of rural heritage and traditions, and on how they are reinterpreted and renegotiated within contemporary regional contexts.

She also works as a researcher in brand consulting, where she applies ethnographic methods to understand consumer behavior, cultural meanings, and emerging social trends. She brings an applied anthropological perspective to commercial contexts, translating ethnographic insight into strategic and socially grounded research. This work allows her to bridge academic methodologies with practical applications in communication, branding, and qualitative market research.